Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)

About the role

This Advanced Medical Support Assistant (AMSA) position is in the Mental Health Department of the Alexandria VA Health Care System located in Alexandria/Pineville - Louisiana.

Responsibilities

• Maintains accurate records of appointments and monitors both inpatient and outpatient appointments for areas of responsibility.
• Enters no-show information and monitors the electronic wait list.
• Interprets and verifies provider orders.
• Prepares for clinic visits and ensures encounter forms are completed.
• Verifies and updates demographics and insurance information.
• Processes all emergency and non-emergency transfers to other VA facilities or private hospitals.
• Performs basic eligibility for healthcare, travel benefits, co-pays, and preauthorization requirements.
• Sets priorities and deadlines, adjusts the flow and sequencing of the work to meet team and veteran needs.
• Participates and provides input in problem-solving on operational issues or procedures in team meetings/huddles.
• Completes administrative follow-up actions.
• Makes pre-appointment telephone calls and post-appointment calls for no-shows.
• Documents patient contact in the Computerized Patient Record System utilizing administrative progress notes.
• Communicates tactfully and effectively - both orally and in writing - in order to meet program objectives.
• Prepares reports in various formats and presents data to various organizational levels.
• Schedules, cancels, and reschedules patient’s appointments and/or consults.

Qualifications

• One year of experience equivalent to the GS-5 grade level.
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities:
  • Collaborates and communicates with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines.
  • Independently sets priorities and organizes work to meet deadlines.
  • Communicates tactfully and effectively - electronically - by phone - in person - and in writing - with internal and external customers.
  • Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process.
  • Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow.
  • Advanced knowledge of medical terminology.

Skills

• Computer literate.
• Customer service.

Benefits

Competitive salary and regular salary increases. When setting pay - a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).

Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year).

Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior [work experience] or military service experience.

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.